No Other Choice
by SerenityFalconNormandy
Summary: Written for the Dragon Age Reddit Weekly Writing Prompt: For Inquisitors: Deciding between Templars and Mages Fen'lath ponders going to Therinfal Redoubt for the Templars, or Redcliffe to speak to the mages. (Also, motion sickness bites.)


Therinfal Redoubt and the Templars, or Redcliffe to meet with the mages. It wasn't truly a choice for Fen'lath. As their small party rode back towards Haven to consult with Leliana and Cullen, Fen mentally prepared herself for the arguments ahead. The rough, jolting motion of the horse trotting gave her a headache, and occasionally, her stomach would lurch.

Cassandra and Cullen would dismiss the mages offhand. Josephine was likely to as well, for diplomatic purposes, of course. Her only ally would be Leliana. Going through the Blight next to the most famous elf and mage of the Age would make her more likely to agree that the mages were the ones to contact first.

"I have never seen the Lord Seeker behave in such a way. To strike a Revered Mother in public- this is not like him at all, Herald. When we return to Haven, we must have Josephine investigate what can be done to get us to Therinfal Redoubt at once."

"Mm."

"I don't think you understand, Fen'lath. The Lord Seeker is acting erratic, nothing like a Templar or Seeker should."

Swallowing hard, Fen murmured back, "I'm not quite used to riding horses yet, Cassandra."

"I...see. Do we need to stop again?"

"I'd prefer not to."

The Seeker continued to ramble on and on about the Lord Seeker's behavior. Perhaps it was erratic to Cassandra, but to a Dalish elf, it was completely in-line with their experience of the Templars. Punching an elderly woman while wearing metal gauntlets and splitting her face open, shattering her nose…

Fen had seen an elderly _hahren_ from an Orlesian clan who was blind in one eye from a Templar's 'erratic behavior'. She could remember the first time she'd ever seen an abomination. A clan Lavellan had crossed paths with had been raided by Templars, the Keeper and First taken, the Second beaten so badly there were fears he wouldn't survive. One of the mage children who had not been taken refused to sleep because of the nightmares demons were causing, and in his exhaustion, he hadn't been able to resist anymore. The already ravaged clan had been desperate for help.

If she tried to explain it to Cassandra or the Commander, she was almost certain her protests against the Templars would fall on deaf ears. Would they dismiss them as outliers, one-off incidents? Fen felt nauseated as the horse jolted again underneath her, the motion she wasn't used to joining the memories of burned aravels and the scent of halla blood soaking the ground.

She grabbed Cassandra's sleeve, blurting out, "We need to stop, now!"

Her knees buckled when she dropped from the saddle to the ground, and Fen scrambled into the bushes before heaving up the contents of her stomach. Varric's voice rumbled behind her, then the soft murmur of Solas's voice. The foliage behind her rustled, and Solas sat down next to her in the soft loam. Cool fingers touched the back of her neck, and the roiling in her stomach eased.

"There, Fen'lath. Are you settled now?"

Curling up towards him, she nodded, forehead pressed against his thigh.

"Perhaps we should have Ambassador Montilyet work on finding a different mount for you. Would your clan be averse to sending you a halla to ride?"

"My Keeper-" She cut off to breathe deeply for a moment, "My Keeper wouldn't risk the halla like that. Halla don't do well on the sea."

"Hmm. A hart might be better for you, then. They have a similar gait to halla."

"It wasn't really the horse, Solas. I can't… I can't go to the Templars. No matter what Cassandra says, he was acting perfectly normal to me."

"Ah. Your clan had a run-in with Templars?"

"No, thankfully. Other clans, but we found one while we were wandering in the Free Marches."

"You intend to go to the mages at Redcliffe, then."

"Well, the Grand Enchanter _did _come to invite me in person, and didn't assault an elderly woman."

Solas chuckled, clearing his throat after the little snort at the end. "A fair point. There will be an argument with the Lady Seeker and Commander."

"Oh, most definitely."

Varric rustled into the bushes, "Is Grace okay, Chuckles?"

"I'm better, Varric. Thank you." Fen stood up and dusted the soil from her clothes. She did feel much better. Varric was likely to be in her corner. As Solas helped her back into the saddle, and slipped her a small piece of ginger to chew, she knew he would back her up as well.


End file.
